The boat comes into the relationship as baggage, and the living aboard is part of the package deal. How do you get her to move into the boat with you after your married? Easy, have her move in while you are still dating!
The sooner she moves in the better, because the "happy to know each other" butterflies will still be flying and all the quirks of boat life will be lumped in with your own personal quirks. If she gets to know you first, adjusting to life aboard might not be viewed with rose colored glasses.
When Maddie moved in, we had newly installed air conditioning, running water, and a comfy bed. The fact that the shower was tiny and the water temperature would fluctuate wildly, the closet was minuscule, and the water pressure was low, was accepted as part of her new life with me. We worked through our differences as they came up while also acclimating to both of us living in a tiny sailboat.
There are some girls that really want to live on a sailboat, and they will be the easiest to adjust to this way of life; but for all the rest of the women out there who want a really big house with an extensive yard, boat life might come as a shock!
It's true, living on a sailboat in a marina is rough. There is very little space available to live in, and you really have to be happy living with few things. We spend most of our time on one settee, where we have the table to work on our projects. Maddie wanted more space, but we didn't have that inside the sailboat. Instead, Maddie started working at a local art gallery which kept her busy and out of the boat for most of the day. When she came home to the sailboat in the marina, the small space was cozy instead of confining.
When we did our long trip out into the ocean, she really came to love living on a sailboat. All of our worries, time constraints, and cares were left in our wake as we sailed off into the distance. We did this long trip after Maddie's first year on the boat, and when we returned, she was in love with the idea and lifestyle of life aboard a sailboat.
The most important thing about marrying someone while living aboard is to have them move in with you before you get married. Since we had ironed out all these liveaboard details before we got married, marriage is pretty much the same as living together while dating; the only difference is we have rings on our fingers.
